Cleaning apparatus with anti-hair wrap management systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11633764-B2
Application number	US-202217668556-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 10, 2022
Priority date	Dec 27, 2017
Publication date	Apr 25, 2023
Grant date	Apr 25, 2023

Abstract

A cleaning apparatus includes an end cap assembly for use with an agitator. The end cap assembly includes a stationary end cap, a rotating end cap, and a fragmentor. The stationary end cap is secured to and stationary with respect to a housing of the cleaning apparatus. The rotating end cap is coupled to the agitator and rotates with the agitator relative to the housing. The stationary and rotating end caps define a gap extending radially inward therebetween. The fragmentor is disposed within the gap and is configured to break debris which enters the gap into smaller pieces. The fragmentor may be disposed on a surface of the stationary end cap facing towards the rotating end cap and/or on a surface of the rotating end cap facing towards the stationary end cap. The fragmentor may include a cutting blade and/or an abrasive surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An agitator assembly for use with a cleaning apparatus comprising:
an agitator including an agitator body configured to rotate about a pivot axis at least partially within an agitator chamber, said agitator having a length extending along said pivot axis between first and second opposite ends; and
an end cap assembly for a cleaning apparatus, said end cap assembly comprising:
a stationary end cap configured to be disposed proximate said first end of said agitator and configured to be secured to a housing of said cleaning apparatus such that said stationary end cap is stationary with respect to said housing; and
a rotating end cap, said rotating end cap is configured to be coupled to said first end of said agitator proximate to said stationary end cap and configured to rotate relative to said housing such that rotation of said agitator about said pivot axis results in rotation of said rotating end cap relative to said stationary end cap, wherein hair migrates off of said agitator and into a gap between said stationary end cap and said rotating end cap; and
at least one fragmentor disposed within said gap, said at least one fragmentor configured to break debris which enters into said gap into smaller pieces;

wherein said agitator further comprises one or more suction conduits extending along at least a portion of the length of said agitator, said one or more suction conduits including one or more inlets fluidly coupled to said gap and one or more outlets configured to be fluidly coupled to said agitator chamber, wherein said smaller pieces of debris are configured to be removed from said gap through said one or more inlets, travel through said suction conduit, and exit said agitator through said one or more outlets to said agitator chamber.

2. The agitator assembly of claim 1 , wherein said at least one fragmentor is disposed on a surface of said stationary end cap facing towards said rotating end cap or on a surface of said rotating end cap facing towards said stationary end cap.

3. The agitator assembly of claim 1 , wherein said at least one fragmentor comprises a first and a second fragmentor, wherein said first fragmentor is disposed on a surface of said stationary end cap facing towards said rotating end cap and said second fragmentor is disposed on a surface of said rotating end cap facing towards said stationary end cap.

4. The agitator assembly of claim 3 , wherein said first fragmentor and said second fragmentor are configured to contact each other.

5. The agitator assembly of claim 1 , wherein said at least one fragmentor comprises a cutting blade or an abrasive surface.

6. The agitator assembly of claim 1 , wherein said stationary end cap and said rotating end cap include stationary alignment castellations and rotating alignment castellations, respectively, configured to align said rotating end cap relative to said stationary end cap as said rotating end cap rotates relative to said stationary end to define said gap.

7. The agitator assembly of claim 6 , wherein:
said stationary alignment castellations comprise a plurality of alternating notches and protrusions extending radially outward from a central hub, said central hub extending along said pivot axis of said agitator; and
said rotating alignment castellations comprise a plurality of alternating notches and protrusions extending radially inward from a central disc, said central disc extending radially outwardly relative to said pivot axis of said agitator.

8. The agitator assembly of claim 7 , wherein said plurality of notches of said stationary alignment castellations are configured to receive said plurality of protrusions of said rotating alignment castellations and wherein said wherein said plurality of notches of said rotating alignment castellations are configured to receive said plurality of protrusions of said stationary alignment castellations.

9. The agitator assembly of claim 8 , wherein said plurality of notches of said stationary alignment castellations have a substantially corresponding to an inverse of a shape of said plurality of protrusions of said rotating alignment castellations and said plurality of protrusions of said stationary alignment castellations have a shape substantially corresponding to an inverse of said shape of said plurality of notches of the rotating alignment castellations.

10. The agitator assembly of claim 9 , wherein said plurality of protrusions of said stationary alignment castellations and said rotating alignment castellations comprise inverse beveled surfaces.

11. The agitator assembly of claim 10 , wherein at least a portion of said gap is disposed between said beveled surfaces of said plurality of protrusions of said stationary alignment castellations and said rotating alignment castellations.

12. The agitator assembly of claim 11 , wherein said at least one fragmentor is disposed on at least one of said beveled surfaces of said plurality of protrusions of said stationary alignment castellations or said rotating alignment castellations.

13. The agitator assembly of claim 8 , wherein said stationary alignment castellations further define a first track configured to allow said plurality of protrusions of said rotating alignment castellations to rotate as said rotating end cap rotates about said pivot axis, and wherein said rotating alignment castellations further define a second track configured to allow said plurality of protrusions of said stationary alignment castellations to pass through as said rotating end cap rotates about said pivot axis.

14. The agitator assembly of claim 7 , wherein said central hub extends outwardly from an upright section, said upright section extending radially in a plane that is transverse to said pivot axis and substantially parallel with an outer surface of said central disc that faces said stationary end cap.

15. The agitator assembly of claim 14 , wherein at least a portion of said gap is disposed between said upright section of said central hub and said outer surface of said central disc.

16. The agitator assembly of claim 15 , wherein said at least one fragmentor is disposed on at least one of said upright section of said central hub or said outer surface of said central disc.

17. The agitator assembly of claim 16 , wherein said at least one debris fragmentor includes a plurality of radial cutting surfaces configured to cut hair along said upright section and/or said outer surface of said central disc.

18. The agitator assembly of claim 16 , wherein said at least one debris fragmentor includes a plurality of radial cutting surfaces disposed along a plurality of radially disposed protrusions, said radially disposed plurality of protrusions substantially corresponding to said shape of plurality of protrusions of least one of said stationary alignment castellations or said rotating alignment castellations.

19. An agitator assembly for use with a cleaning apparatus comprising:
an agitator including an agitator body configured to rotate about a pivot axis at least partially within an agitator chamber, said agitator having a length extending along said pivot axis between first and second opposite ends; and
an end cap assembly for a cleaning apparatus, said end cap assembly comprising:
a stationary end cap configured to be disposed proximate said first end of said agitator and configured to be secured to a housing of said cleaning apparatus such that said stationary end cap is stationary with respect to said housing; and
a rotating end cap, said rotating end cap is configured to be co

Assignees

• Sharkninja Operating Llc

Inventors

• Brown Andre D
• Brunner Charles S
• Smith Tyler S

Classifications

• B08B1/54

  using mechanical tools · CPC title

• B08B1/165

  Scrapers · CPC title

• A47L5/30 Primary

  with driven dust-loosening tools, e.g. rotating brushes · CPC title

• A47L9/0477

  Rolls · CPC title

• A47L9/0613

  with means specially adapted for picking up threads, hair or the like, e.g. brushes, combs, lint pickers or bristles pads · CPC title